Saturday, October 1, 2011

Not all angels are Divine

The weather is cooler. The nights grow darker and it's time for tales of suspense and thrills. The kind of story that makes you want to cover your head and hope that you are no longer home alone. Let's be honest October is the time for all things spooky and suspenseful. So naturally I found three novels that fit perfectly into the suspenseful, thriller, murder mystery whodunit category. Don't read them too late at night or you may not sleep very well. Not all angels are divine and the story of the black angel is revealed during an exciting new novel by Julie Kramer.

Killing Kate by Julie Kramer is a thriller. This is the 4th in a series, but it can stand alone. The plot twists and turns and when you suspect you have it, you don't. The novel begins with Kate's death. Riley, a newspaper reporter, speaks with her former friend. She just happens to be Kate's sister. While speaking to her friend in Kate's home, Riley notices a chalk outline on the ground and assumes the police placed it there around the fallen Kate. She can't figure out why they made Kate's arms look misshapen. It appears almost as if she had wings. Riley is tenacious and wants to solve this crime. She is sure there is more to the story, but between her boss and her boyfriend, can she find the truth? The story is told from Riley and the killer's point of view. As Riley fits the pieces together you wonder will the killer let her live or will the angel of death take Riley to her final resting place?

Before I Go to Sleep by Steven J. Watson is truly a chilling story. It's the story of Christine, a young woman, who has an accident and recovers. The tragedy is that although she has physically recovered, her memory is impaired. Once she goes to sleep she forgets who she is and everything about her life. Each day begins anew with untold challenges. Her doctor has her keep a journal privately and tells her not to let her husband, Ben know. Who can she trust? Is her doctor her friend? Why doesn't he want her to trust her husband? Christine wants her life back, but what kind of life did she have and can she have it if she remembers nothing about her former life? A story of terror unfolds and keeps you hanging on til its gripping conclusion. When you are sure you have figured out what is happening the author twists the plot again and takes you for another spine tingling ride.

The Accidentby Linwood Barclay fits perfectly in our recession centered world. Everyone is hard hit financially in this novel. Glen's business is failing. He is a builder and one of his homes had a fire that destroyed everything and worse yet his wife just died in a car accident that she may have caused. The police believe Sheila (Glen's wife) was driving drunk. Can things get worse? Why of course they can. His daughter is having trouble in school, his mother-in-law blames Glen for Sheila's death and things in Milford keep getting more bizarre. Strange deaths are occurring and it all seems to lead back to Sheila. Can Glen prove her innocence or was Sheila living a double life. This is an exciting fast paced whodunit that will keep you riveted to your seat. Just when the mystery appears solved, is it? If you enjoy mysteries and thrillers this is a must read.